Show Navigation
Show Menu
Player Profile

Austin Ekeler Injury History & Updates

Basic StatsAustin Ekeler's Basic Stats

Austin Ekeler
ADP: 1.3
Bye: 5
Experience: 6 Yr(s)
Age: 28.3
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 200
40 Time: 4.48
Burst Score (Rank): 132.90 (96%)
Agility Score (Rank): 11.06 (86%)
Three Cone Drill (Rank): 6.85

Injury PredictorAustin Ekeler's Injury Guide

Very High Risk

Chance of Injury in 2023

78%

% chance misses at least 2 quarters

Chance of Injury per Game

8.5%

1- 17√1-% Inj/Season

Projected Games Missed 2023

2.17

Durability

5.00

Ability to produce despire relatively minor injuries. 5 being most durable

Injury analysis powered by Draft Sharks Injury Guide, formerly SIP Logo

Injury History

Date League Injury Details
Dec 17, 2017 NFL Hand Wrist Fracture Ekeler suffered a broken hand injury during the loss to the Chiefs and played the rest of the season with a cast on his broken left hand.
Aug 19, 2018 NFL Leg Calf Strain Ekeler sat out of the preseason win over the Seahawks with a sore calf
Dec 9, 2018 NFL Cervical Neck Stinger Ekeler aggravated the neck injury during the game vs. the Bengals. He missed two games
Dec 9, 2018 NFL Head Cranial Concussion Grade 1 Ekeler suffered a concussion injury during the game vs. the Bengals. He missed two games
Oct 4, 2020 NFL Thigh Hamstring Strain Grade 2 Ekeler suffered a hamstring injury in the Chargers' game against the Buccaneers. He was placed on IR and missed 6 games
Jan 3, 2021 NFL Head Cranial Concussion Grade 1 Ekeler suffered a concussion during the season finale game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sep 8, 2021 NFL Thigh Hamstring Sprain/Pull Unspecified Grade 1 Ekeler missed practice due to a hamstring injury ahead of the season opener at Washington.
Oct 28, 2021 NFL Inguinal Hip Sprain Ekeler had a hip issue heading to Week 8 game.
Dec 5, 2021 NFL Pedal Ankle Bruise Ekeler dealt with "bumps and bruises" following Week 13's win over the Bengals. He was good for the next game.
Dec 12, 2021 NFL Pedal Ankle Sprain/Pull Unspecified Grade 1 Ekeler picked up an ankle sprain in the Week 14 game against the Giants.

Basic StatsAustin Ekeler's Preseason Player Analysis

View RB Fantasy Rankings »
Bottom Line

Ekeler is coming off a massive 2022, when he led all RBs in PPR and half-PPR points. That followed a RB3 finish in points per game across scoring formats in 2021.

Don’t bank on Ekeler repeating last year’s 18 TDs. Or 107 catches.

He also turned 28 in May, an age at which RBs often start declining.

But Ekeler could decline a bit from last year’s production and still be a top-5 fantasy RB. We like him in the back half of Round 1 in PPR and half-PPR drafts. And, even in non-PPR, he’s worth a late-first or early-second-round pick.


What We Learned Last Year:
  • Ekeler led all RBs in PPR and half-PPR points last season. He finished second to Josh Jacobs in non-PPR points.
  • He scored the 32nd most PPR points by a RB in NFL history (79th most PPR points per game).
  • Ekeler carried 204 times for a career-high 915 yards and a career-high 13 TDs. Those marks ranked 20th, 17th, and 2nd league wide.
  • He was especially lethal in the passing game, racking up 127 targets, 107 catches, 722 yards, and 5 TDs. He led RBs in targets and catches, while ranking second in receiving yards and TDs.
  • The 107 catches are tied for the second most by a RB in NFL history.
  • Ekeler’s usage matched his production: He led all RBs in expected PPR and half-PPR points and finished second to Josh Jacobs in expected non-PPR points.
  • On top of the raw volume, Ekeler saw a ton of work near the goal line.
    • He tied for sixth league wide with 24 carries inside the 10-yard line.
    • He ranked third with 13 targets inside the 10-yard line.
  • Ekeler overachieved in rushing TDs, scoring 13 times on 8.4 expected. But he underachieved in receiving TDs, scoring 5 times on 6.9 expected.
  • His 15.3 total expected TDs ranked second behind only Jamaal Williams’ 17.0.
  • Ekeler ranked fourth in Pro Football Focus’ receiving grades and eighth in yards per route run among 44 RBs with 30+ targets last season.
  • Among 45 RBs with 100+ carries, he ranked:
    • 16th in PFF rushing grade
    • 15th in elusive rating
    • 17th in NFL Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected per attempt
  • Ekeler finished third among RBs in both PPR and non-PPR points per game in 2021. No RB has averaged more PPR points per game over the past two seasons. Only Derrick Henry has averaged more non-PPR points per game.

What to Expect in 2023:
  • After a contract squabble resulted in the Chargers allowing Ekeler to seek a trade early this offseason, the two sides eventually agreed to a restructured deal that keeps Ekeler in Los Angeles for 2023.
  • The Chargers made no significant additions to the backfield. They return RBs Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, and Larry Rountree. They did not re-sign RB Sony Michel, who ranked third among the team’s RB with 36 carries last year.
  • There’s a change at OC, with Kellen Moore replacing Joe Lombardi.
  • Like Lombardi, Moore is a pass-leaning play caller. Three of his four Cowboys offenses ranked top 10 in both pass attempts and yards. This should again be one of the pass-heaviest offenses in the league.
  • Ezekiel Elliott finished fifth, 16th, and seventh among RBs in PPR points per game in Moore’s first three seasons in Dallas. Last year, Tony Pollard ranked 10th in PPR points per game and Elliott 23rd.
  • League-wide average RB target share is 18.8% over the past four seasons. Cowboys RB target shares under Moore:
    • 2019 - 15.2%
    • 2020 - 17.4%
    • 2021 - 18.2%
    • 2022 - 15.3%
  • Ekeler will remain a big part of the passing game in 2023, but don’t bank on him matching last year’s production. Besides the OC change, the Chargers figure to get healthier seasons from WRs Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, who missed a combined 11 games last year. And they added WR Quentin Johnston with the 21st overall pick of this spring’s draft.
  • The biggest concern with Ekeler heading into 2023 is that he turned 28 in May. Our aging-curve research shows age-29 is when RB production really declines. But, on average, even high-end RBs average just 88% of peak production at age-28.

Recent Injury Bites View All Shark Bites »

Austin Ekeler, RB LAC

4:05pm EDT 9/29/23

Austin Ekeler doubtful for Week 4

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler (ankle) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game vs. the Raiders. He got back on the practice field this week, but it looks like he'll be held out one more game, with the Chargers getting a Week 5 bye. Barring a setback, Ekeler should return for Week 6. Joshua Kelley gets another game as Los Angeles' lead back this weekend but is tough to trust as more than a RB3 after disappointing outings the last two weeks.

View all Austin Ekeler Shark Bites »

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler (ankle) remained limited in Thursday's practice. We'll see what he does on Friday and how he's listed on the final injury report for this weekend's game vs. the Raiders.

View all Austin Ekeler Shark Bites »

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler (ankle) was limited in Wednesday's practice -- his first official participation since going down in Week 1. Ekeler told NFL Network's Bridget Condon that he hasn't tried to push that injured ankle to 100% yet but if he can in practice this week then he wants to play vs. the Raiders on Sunday. "It's one of those things where you kind of progress with how fast it allows you to," Ekeler added. "You saw me back on the field today so mine's obviously in a good spot." We'll keep a close eye on his progress over the next few days. The Chargers have an upcoming Week 5 bye, but Ekeler said that won't impact whether he plays this weekend.

View all Austin Ekeler Shark Bites »

Chargers WR Mike Williams has been diagnosed with a torn left ACL and will miss the rest of the 2023 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The timing of the injury at least gives Williams a good chance to be ready for the start of the 2024 campaign. He turns 29 in about a week and is officially signed with the Chargers for next season. But his contract currently carries a $32.5 million cap hit. Williams will need to restructure that deal to remain with the team. His absence for the rest of this season leaves behind big opportunity. Williams averaged 8.7 targets on a 21.3% share through three games. WR Josh Palmer is the better immediate bet for production with Williams out. But first-round rookie WR Quentin Johnston is the higher-upside longer-term bet. WR Keenan Allen, RB Austin Ekeler (once healthy), and TE Gerald Everett should also see a bit more volume without Williams.

View all Mike Williams Shark Bites »

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero hears that Chargers RB Austin Ekeler (ankle) is "hopeful" to return for Week 4. "But with a Week 5 bye looming, they could opt for more rest," Pelissero adds. We'll track Ekeler's progress this coming week.

View all Austin Ekeler Shark Bites »

How do Injuries impact your draft strategy?

For us, it's 1/17th of the equation. Hear us out.

The Draft War Room is the only live-sync draft tool that monitors 17 crucial in-draft indicators, including injury likelihood… and adapts to show you which players to pick throughout your draft.

See how we built the 17 indicators into our Draft War Room »
Winning Your League Starts Here Trophy
Why Wouldn’t You Invest
$36 to Win Your League?

Check out thisleague-winning info

2023 Draft Package Now - Sept 15

$39

Get Instant Access
2023 In-Season Package Sept 5 - Mar 7

$39

Get Access Sept. 5
2023 DFS Package Sept 5 - Mar 7

$49

Get Access Sept. 5
Best Value – All Access Pass
DS Insider Membership All 3 Packages

$127 $36

Semi-annual
Get Instant Access
Draft War Room Included Draft War Room Draft War Room Draft War Room Included Draft War Room
Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Included Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Unlimited Live-Draft Sync Included Unlimited Live-Draft Sync
Award-Winning Player Rankings Included Award-Winning Player Rankings Award-Winning Player Rankings Award-Winning Player Rankings Included Award-Winning Player Rankings
3D Projections Included 3D Projections 3D Projections 3D Projections Included 3D Projections
In-Depth Player Profiles Included In-Depth Player Profiles In-Depth Player Profiles In-Depth Player Profiles Included In-Depth Player Profiles
Mock Draft Trainer Included Mock Draft Trainer Mock Draft Trainer Mock Draft Trainer Included Mock Draft Trainer
DMVP Trade Values Included DMVP Trade Values DMVP Trade Values DMVP Trade Values Included DMVP Trade Values
The Perfect Draft Included The Perfect Draft The Perfect Draft The Perfect Draft Included The Perfect Draft
Breakout & Comeback Player Included Breakout & Comeback Player Breakout & Comeback Player Breakout & Comeback Player Included Breakout & Comeback Player
Average Draft Position by Scoring Included Average Draft Position by Scoring Average Draft Position by Scoring Average Draft Position by Scoring Included Average Draft Position by Scoring
Scientific Injury Predictor Included Scientific Injury Predictor Scientific Injury Predictor Scientific Injury Predictor Included Scientific Injury Predictor
Insider Sleepers & Busts Included Insider Sleepers & Busts Insider Sleepers & Busts Insider Sleepers & Busts Included Insider Sleepers & Busts
In-Season Weekly Rankings In-Season Weekly Rankings Included In-Season Weekly Rankings In-Season Weekly Rankings Included In-Season Weekly Rankings
“Who Should I Start?” Tool “Who Should I Start?” Tool Included “Who Should I Start?” Tool “Who Should I Start?” Tool Included “Who Should I Start?” Tool
“Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications Included “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications Included “Team Intel” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications
Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Included Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Included Live-Sync Free Agent Finder
Trade Navigator Trade Navigator Included Trade Navigator Trade Navigator Included Trade Navigator
Player Shares Player Shares Included Player Shares Player Shares Included Player Shares
In-Depth Free Agent Gems In-Depth Free Agent Gems Included In-Depth Free Agent Gems In-Depth Free Agent Gems Included In-Depth Free Agent Gems
Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Included Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Included Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice
Strength-of-Schedule Data Strength-of-Schedule Data Included Strength-of-Schedule Data Strength-of-Schedule Data Included Strength-of-Schedule Data
DFS Lineup Builder DFS Lineup Builder DFS Lineup Builder Included DFS Lineup Builder Included DFS Lineup Builder
DFS Ownership Projections DFS Ownership Projections DFS Ownership Projections Included DFS Ownership Projections Included DFS Ownership Projections
Weekly Top Stacks Weekly Top Stacks Weekly Top Stacks Included Weekly Top Stacks Included Weekly Top Stacks
High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews Included High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews Included High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews
DFS Independent DFS Independent DFS Independent Included DFS Independent Included DFS Independent
Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles
Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates
Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates
To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives
All-Access Draft Sharks App All–Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App Included All-Access Draft Sharks App
Get Instant Access Get Access Sept 5 Get Access Sept 5 Get Instant Access

Turn your phone into a draft weapon with our FREE APP

Download on the App Store Get It on Google Play